As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Monday, 4 April 2016

Bohemian waxwings killed after striking city hall walkway, says group

More than
30 bohemian waxwings were killed after colliding with a glass walkway at OttawaCity
Hall, according to a local group devoted to
reducing bird deaths.

Safe Wings Ottawa began
tweeting photographic evidence Saturday of the discovery of dead and
injured bohemian waxwings beneath the walkway, which connects the main city
hall building with the nearby heritage wing.

Anouk Hoedeman, the program's
coordinator, told CBC News that the waxwings — small, stocky, starling-sized
birds — are drawn to the area because it's a plentiful food source.

"They're flying back and forth
between the fruit trees and the other trees and they crash into the walkway
because they don't see the glass. It's clear glass," said Hoedeman.

As of Sunday afternoon, there were 34
dead birds, said Hoedeman, while another five injured birds had been
transported to the Wild Bird Care Centre.

There were also likely about "half a
dozen to a dozen" injured birds that rescuers couldn't reach because they
had escaped to nearby trees, she said.